Improvement in still-columns



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' Still-Column. l No. 204.919. Patented June18, |878.

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Still-Column. y No. 204,919. Patented June18,1878.

F293. Y 174%@ y N:PETEHS. PHQTOMTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

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fNrrRDSrArRsPATENT OFFICE.

RDWARD sMEnrH AND GEORGE r. HARRrs, or CHICAGO, rLLrNors.

vIM PROVEMENT IN, STILL-COLUMNS.

Speciiication forming part of LettersPatent No. 204,919, dated J nnel, 1878; application tiled y `March 9, 1878. Y

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD SMEETH and which improvement is fully set forth in the following speciiication and accompanying drawmgs, in which latter- Figure l is a t@ view of our improved stillcolumn, having/partpf-its cover and upper iioor broken'awayto expose certain interior parts to view. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same, having part of its outer cover vbroken away to expose the inner parts. Fig. 3 is a diagram in shape of a horizontal section in the Fig. 4. is a similar diagram' at the altitude y y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an evolutionaryT diagram ot' the several chambers and connections constituting our still-column.

Fig. 6 is a diagram in elevation, illustrating he horizontal connections of the said chamers.

The natureof our invention consists in certain constructions, combinations, and arrangements, hereinafter fully described and specically claimed, whereby a still-column for rening high-wines is produced which occupies v less height, the construction of which costs less for material and labor', and which requires less fuel to operate than the refining-stills in use at the present time.

In the drawings, A represents the shellof a still-column; a, the top of it, and a its bottom.

valves c, whereby the contents of the upper chamber may be at pleasure drawn oft' into the lower one, and so on until they arrive at the lowest row or group of chambers, which are provided with a head, C', of coupled discharge-pipes c1, iinally uniting in one pipe, c2,

provided, in practice, with a draw-oft' cock. D

represents an elbow-pipe, to which the gooseneck of an ordinary still is connected. The vertical part of the pipe D opens into one of the bottom chambers of the still-column, and

extends down to within a small distance from the bottom a. i

A number of elbow-pipes, E, are attached to the partition of the adjoining chamber, near the topof it, wherethey open into the chamber containing the pipe D. The vertical parts of the elbow-pipes E extend down near to the bottom of the` adjoining chamber. All the adjoining chambers on the bottom a are in succession provided with Velbow-pipes E, except the last one, adjoining the chamber with the inlet D. The said last chamber communicates with the one above by means of a double elbow-pipe, F, the two vertical branches f of which open into the lower chamber, while a central bell or hood, f', connects with the horizontal part of the pipe F, and extends to within a short distance from the horizontal partition The adjoining chambers upon the partition B are successively connected by elbowpipes E, of the same construction as those previously 1 described and in a similar manner. The last chamber is connected, by means of a double elbow-pipe, F, and bell f', with the chamber above it on the partition Bhand so on until the space above the partition B2 is reached, which, in order to eii'ect a rapid cooling of the heavy vapors mixed with the alcoholic vapors, is not subdivided. A pipe, G, on 'the top of the still-column serves to draw oli' the alcoholic vapors. A pipe, I, which may be closed by a valve, serves to facilitate the filling of the still-column with liquid. A spring vacuum-valve, J, prevents collapse of the still-column by cooling down.

Each ofthe 4chambers described is provided with at lleast one overiiow-pipe, K, which extends as high from its bottom as the liquid therein should be, and which extends to within a short distance of the bottom of the chamber below, so as to prevent the vapor-current of the still from passing through it. The uppermost chamber, which is not subdivided, has as many overflow-pipes K as there are chambers below, so that the said chambers may be provided with liquid from above when the stillcolumn is to be started.

The lowest group oi' chambers is provided with pipes K1, which conduct the overflow into pipes K2, by which it is delivered back into the lstill.

Operation: The still-column is charged with liquid or'high-wine of a distillery. This is done by in troducin g the liquid through the pipe I into the highest chamber, where it rises, and nally passes through the overilow-pipes K into the chambers below, which become provided with liquid to the height of their overflow-pipes K, when it passes on to the chambers below, and so on until the lowest group of chambers is provided with liquid, when the surplus is conducted through the pipes Kl K2 to the ordinary still. The ordinary still is now heated, and its vapors enter the pipe D of the stillcolumn. There they are conducted down into the liquid of the first chamber, through which they pass, vaporizing some of its alcoholic parts. They then pass through the pipes Einto the liquid of the next chamber, which is also freed of some of its alcohol by vaporization, and so on until the last chamber of the lower group, from the liquid of which the vapors pass up through the pipe F and down through the bell f into the liquid of the rst chamber of the group next above. The vapors now make the circuit through all the following chambers of the said group, and so on until they nally arrive at the highest chamber very highly charged with alcohol. From there they are conducted through the outlet Gr to a coil or other suitable condensing apparatus, to be condensed into liquid alcohol. While this is going on the pipes K K1 K2 continually convey down the surplus liquid created by condensation of the vapors, thereby keeping the ordinary still continually supplied with liquid, which, by degrees, becomes poorer until it does not give up any more alcohol.

We are aware that still-columns have been constructed with horizontal partitions subdivided by concentric walls into concentric chambers. This con struction is objectionable, as it only admits the use of a very small number of such chambers within a given diameter. Our improved construction enables us to use at least double the number of chambers. As by the number of vaporizing-chambers the distillin g capacity of the still-column is determined, it is evident that a comparatively small column of our improved construction will do the work of a large one of old construction, thus securing a saving of material for making them and a saving of fuel for operating them.

The device for conducting the overflow through and from the still-column may be modified by conducting it through the adjoining chambers of the same horizontal group by means of elbow-pipes K3, (shown in dotted lines and marked with dotted letters in the drawings,) and connecting the last chamber of such group with a chamber of the lower group by means of a straight overflow-pipe, K. When this device is used the pipes K1 K2 are omitted, and a single overflow-pipe in the bottom of the last chamber' of the lowest group of chambers will serve in their place.

We are aware that prior to our invention it was not new to make still-columns with laterally-adjoined chambers, the partitions of one column of chambers being on different horizontal planes from those of the other column of chambers; nor, to make still-columns with chambers one above another and connected by hooded pipes; nor, to employ draw-off pipes, having cocks, connecting sections or chambers, one above another; nor, to employ overliow-pipes; and therefore we do not broadly claim these as our invention; but

What we claim is-A 1. In a distilling apparatus or column, two or more chambers formed in the same section ofthe column on the same horizontal plane, and connected together by elbow pipes, or other similar device, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a series of manychambered horizontal sections of a still-column, elbow-pipes E, angular pipes F ff, each pipe F having a bell or hood, f', between `its vertical portions ff, whereby the circulation of the vapors of the still is through a number of horizontal chambers on the same plane in one section, then through vertical passages, and then again through a number of horizontal chambers on the same plane in another section, and such circulation being in a spiral or zigzag course, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The still-column provided with the angular pipes F f f f', substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

Witness our hands in the matter of our application for a patent for an improved-stilleolumn this 5th day of March, A. D. 1878. v'

EDWARD SMEETH.

GEORGE POLHILL HARRIS.

Witnesses:

J AMES KnA'rs, C. E. SMEETH. 

